Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

L. Moody heard his remarkable voice and convinced him of his divine mission to be a gospel singer.

The success of his revival tours with Mr. Moody in America and England is history.

Mr. Sankey has compiled at least five singing books, and has written the Story of the Gospel Hymns. Until overtaken by blindness, in his later years he frequently appeared as a lecturer on sacred music. The manuscript of his story of the Gospel Hymns was destroyed by accident, but, undismayed by the ruin of his work, and the loss of his eye-sight, like Sir Isaac Newton and Thomas Carlyle, he began his task again. With the help of an amanuensis the book was restored and, in 1905, given to the public. (See page 258.)

"SAVIOUR, LIKE A SHEPHERD LEAD US."

Mrs. Dorothy Ann Thrupp, of Paddington Green, London, the author of this hymn, was born June 20, 1799, and died, in London, Dec. 14, 1847. Her hymns first appeared in Mrs. Herbert Mayo's Selection of Poetry and Hymns for the Use of Infant and Juvenile Schools," (1838.)

We are Thine, do Thou befriend us,

Be the Guardian of our way:
Keep Thy flock, from sin defend us,
Seek us when we go astray;
Blessed Jesus,

Hear, O hear us when we pray.

The tune everywhere accepted and loved is W. B. Bradbury's; written in 1856.

"YIELD NOT TO TEMPTATION."

A much used and valued hymn, with a captivating tune and chorus for young assemblies. Both words and music are by H. R. Palmer, composed in 1868.

Yield not to temptation,

For yielding is sin;
Each vict'ry will help you

Some other to win.

Fight manfully onward,

Dark passions subdue;

Look ever to Jesus,

He will carry you through.

Horatio Richmond Palmer was born in Sherburne, N. Y., April 26, 1834, of a musical family, and sang alto in his father's choir when only nine. He studied music unremittingly, and taught music at fifteen. Brought up in a Christian home, his religious life began in his youth, and he consecrated his art to the good of man and the glory of God.

He became well-known as a composer of sacred music, and as a publisher-the sales of his Song Queen amounting to 200,000 copies. As a leader of musical conventions and in the Church Choral Union, his influence in elevating the standard of song-worship has been widely felt.

“THERE ARE LONELY HEARTS TO CHERISH.”

"While the days are going by" is the refrain of the song, and the line by which it is recognized. The hymn or poem was written by George Cooper. He was born in New York City, May 14, 1840a writer of poems and magazine articles,-composed "While the days are going by" in 1870. There are lonely hearts to cherish

While the days are going by.
There are weary souls who perish
While the days are going by.

Up! then, trusty hearts and true,
Though the day comes, night comes, too:

Oh, the good we all may do

While the days are going by!

There are few more practical and alwaystimely verses than this three-stanza poem.

THE TUNE.

A very musical tune, with spirited chorus, (in Gospel Hymns) bears the name of the refrain, and was composed by Mr. Sankey.

A sweet and quieter harmony (uncredited) is mated with the hymn in the old Baptist Praise Book (p. 507) and this was long the fixture to the words, in both Sunday-school and week-day school song-books.

"JESUS THE WATER OF LIFE WILL GIVE.”

This Sunday-school lyric is the work of Fanny J. Crosby (Mrs. Van Alstyne). Like her other and

greater hymn, "Jesus keep me near the Cross," (noted on p. 156,) it reveals the habitual attitude of the pious author's mind, and the simple earnestness of her own faith as well as her desire to win others.

Jesus the water of life will give
Freely, freely, freely;

Jesus the water of life will give
Freely to those who love Him.

The Spirit and the Bride say "Come
Freely, freely, freely.

And he that is thirsty let him come
And drink the water of life."

Full chorus,

The Fountain of life is flowing,
Flowing, freely flowing;
The Fountain of life is flowing,
Is flowing for you and for me.

THE TUNE.

The hymn must be sung as it was made to be sung, and the composer being many years en rapport with the writer, knew how to put all her metrical rhythms into sweet sound. The tunein Mr. Bradbury's Fresh Laurels (1867)—is one of his sympathetic interpretations, and, with the duet sung by two of the best singers of the middle class Sunday-school girls, is a melodious and impressive

“WHEN HE COMETH, WHEN HE COMETH.”

The Rev. W. O. Cushing, with the beautiful thought in Malachi 3:17 singing in his soul, composed this favorite Sunday-school hymn, which has gone round the world.

When He cometh, when He cometh

To make up His jewels,
All the jewels, precious jewels,

His loved and His own.
Like the stars of the morning,
His bright brow adorning
They shall shine in their beauty
Bright gems for His crown.

He will gather, He will gather
The gems for His Kingdom,

All the pure ones, all the bright ones,
His loved and His own.

Like the stars, etc.

Little children, little children

Who love their Redeemer,
Are the jewels, precious jewels
His loved and His own,
Like the stars, etc.

Rev. William Orcutt Cushing of Hingham, Mass., born Dec. 31, 1823, wrote this little hymn when a young man (1856), probably with no idea of achieving a literary performance. But it rings; and even if it is a "ringing of changes" on pretty syllables, that is not all. There is a thought in it that sings. Its glory came to it, however, when it

« AnteriorContinuar »